


Coming Out: Drake Mallard

by andypng



Series: Coming Out [4]
Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon), Disney Duck Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, but lp is there to make him feel comfortable and safe all the time, drakepad, headcanon that drake never really came out and was always nervous to publicize his sexuality, how to tell your daughter youre gay: the tutorial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 13:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15001820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andypng/pseuds/andypng
Summary: Drake feels like everything about Launchpad was just natural and right, and that he was meant to become so close, so apart of the Mallard family. He could only hope that Gosalyn agrees, and so he swallows his fear one night after dinner and more or less comes out to her.





	Coming Out: Drake Mallard

**Author's Note:**

> Giving this series a little twist! I hope you guys enjoy the double update today, and like reading this story as much as I loved writing it!

It had been five weeks since Darkwing Duck, daring vigilante in the dark of night, started living as his alter ego of the caring father and suburban homebody Drake Mallard. Gosalyn, quite the little duckling full of feisty spirit and fiery personality, practically threw a wrench in Drake’s life of order and solitude, but from the moment she slammed him into a hug at the orphanage he knew he wouldn’t change his new life for the world. Gosalyn added a new kind of color and excitement to his life, and the masked mallard wanted her to feel loved and a part of his family.

 

A part of that family also started to include Launchpad, it seemed. He was the hero’s “number one fan”, a complete stranger who luckily just happened to be a pilot right when he needed one. They seemed to meet at the perfect time, if he could thank luck or fate for it Drake wasn’t sure. All he knew was that, when they first met those weeks ago he would’ve never believed how Launchpad could grow to complete their odd little family of three. Nowadays, it just seemed like a natural fit when Launchpad would join Drake and Gosalyn for breakfast after an exhausting night patrol, sleeping over on the couch because Drake insisted that he would be too tired to head back to his own place. The larger man was never overstaying his welcome in their home, it just felt  _ right  _ for him to be there.

 

Drake only hoped Gosalyn thought so, too.

 

The adult mallard washed their dinner plates as his daughter rambled on and on about how school was, how she totally crushed the other kids at kickball in gym, and was even able to hang upside-down from the monkey bars at recess for 20 seconds without getting sick. When she finally stopped for a breath, he managed to say, “That’s all very nice, Gos. Hey, can I ask you something really quick?”

 

The little duckling scrambled up onto the countertop to sit (which he never really allowed, but he supposed one time wouldn’t hurt), “Sure dad, what’s up? Are you guys going after another big bad guy tonight? Can I come??”

 

“No, no, no, relax,” he loved her enthusiasm, and lit up inside whenever she called him her father, but this conversation required a little more seriousness. “I wanted to ask you how you feel about Launchpad. He’s been staying over a lot more, and I just want to know you’re okay with it. Do you mind when he visits, or when just him and I leave a little earlier some nights for our patrolling?”

 

“What, of course not! Launchpad’s nice, and you guys seem like really good friends!”

 

_ Friends, sure _ . Drake laughed inwardly at himself, forgetting that he never really told Gos that they were dating, well past the whole “friends” phase. In one way, he felt kind of ridiculous that he was nervous to tell his own kid that he was dating a man, but being very open about his relationships was never really his forte.

 

“Well, I just wanted to make sure… Do you remember your parents much, Gosalyn?”

 

The nine-year old had to think a bit hard for that question. “Well, I don’t think I remember much, but grandpa always told me that my mom and dad loved me and each other very much.” It was always easier for Gosalyn to talk about her parents than to talk about her grandfather, and although Drake knew it could’ve been emotional for her to talk about it he knew he was unsure of how to word his next question.

 

“Well, how would you feel if you had two parents? You know, like how I’m your dad but Launchpad-” was as far as Drake could say before Gosalyn jumped off the counter to squeeze him in a breath-catching hug.

 

“Can Launchpad be my dad too!! Does he want to be my dad? Can he stay with us and read my bedtime stories and play hockey and soccer with me and-”

 

“Alright, alright Gos!” Her father laughed in relief, “Yes, Launchpad and I have been really close since we all first met, and I feel like we’ve been serious for a while. He might want to move in with us eventually, and I wanted to know if you’d be okay if, if we were together like a mom and dad, you know?”

 

“Having two dads sounds awesome!! Oh man, in class we always talk about how cool this one kid Lucy is for having two moms and Honker’s gonna be so jealous when I tell him,” Drake was just barely able to snag the collar of his daughter’s shirt before she ran off.

 

“Wait a second, Gos! Don’t get too excited, nothing’s happening just yet,” He set a hand on her shoulder, “It may be awhile before we do anything really serious, but I just wanted to tell you so that it’s not too big of a surprise. Now, go wash up and get ready for bed, okay?”

 

Drake watched his loving daughter head up the stairs, relieved that this talk went a lot better than expected. Finishing up the last of the dishes, he was set to read a book on the couch when the doorbell rang, accompanied with, “Hey Drake! It’s me, Launchpad!”

 

The mallard put down the book and went to open the door, a content fuzzy feeling flooding his chest. “Come on in, LP. I haven’t put Gosalyn to bed yet, you’ve come a bit early. We weren’t planning a date tonight, were we?” They sat back down on the couch together, with Drake leaned comfortably against the bigger man’s frame.

 

“Well I uh, wanted to surprise ya. There’s a new diner downtown, thought we could check it out before patrol,” he paused for a moment, taking in how relaxed Drake was against him, “You seem a lot more comfortable than before. Everything okay?”

 

“Oh yeah, it’s just that I, I finally told Gosalyn. Not everything specifically, but she knows about us now,” Drake gave a sheepish smile.

 

Launchpad returned with a wide grin of his own, “Hey, that’s great! I’m proud of ya, Drake. I’m glad that you-”   
  
Before he finished, a blur of yellow duckling feathers ran down the stairs and into the living room, ending with Gosalyn tackling Launchpad on the couch, “Launchpad!!! Dad told me that you were gonna be my dad too, and now you can do dad things with him like play sports with me and read to me before bed and everything!”

 

“Hey,  _ hey _ _!_ I said nothing was changing just yet!  _ Gosalyn!!!!” _

**Author's Note:**

> I think this has been my favorite piece to write for this series as of yet. Gosalyn is just too much fun to write, and Drake having some hidden fears while his boyfriend Launchpad knows just how to comfort him is So Valid.
> 
> To delve deeper into my headcanon: Drake was raised in a pretty traditional setting, and his family and neighborhood as a whole were not the most progressive in that time. He was already given a hard enough time by the bullies at school for who he was, he didn't want to give them any reason to further torment him if he came out. So he just grew up, rationalizing it within himself that he never really needed to come out of the closet, but eventually it starts getting too stressful when he doesn't know how to deal with his feelings towards other men. Eventually he meets Launchpad, who was so laid back and nonchalant about his sexuality that he helped Drake feel more comfortable with it too.
> 
> To end on a funny note, two fun trivia facts about this piece: In my docs, its titled "i am the gay that comes out of the closet of evil". And in the first draft, I wasn't sure where to place Drake and LP's relationship, and was initially planning on a mutual pining, "we both think we're more than friends but neither of us is confident enough to officially become partners" relationship.
> 
> Welp, this has been long enough. Kudos and comments are always appreciated, and I always accept requests! Hope you enjoyed!


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